Sanctan remained some time, at the school of Cluain Iraird, now Clonard, in Meath, where, we may expect, he made great
progress
in learning.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
ii.
of this work.
Art.
i.
Article XII. —' See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctoruiu," tumus ii. , Maii viii. Amongthepretermittedsaints,p. 284.
^ In his " Menologium Scoticum. "
3 The following is his notice, at the Sth of May : " Tarenti Cataldi episcopi, Apostolici
;
but, he has the departure
137
——
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 9.
which rested the motives, aims, and practice, of this holy servant of God, in reference to his own sanctifi cation, and to the spiritual welfare of those he had in charge. Regarding the biographical particulars of this early saint, there is a considerable amount of obscurity. By some writers, he is supposed to be the same as St. Sannan, the reputed brother of our great Apostle, St. Patrick. ' This identification, however, seems inadmissible; especially, if we acknowledge his father Samuel to have been a king of Britain, and his mother to have been Drechura, daughter to Muredach Munderg, King of Ultonia. ' It is certain, that Bishop Sanctain flourished, at an early period, since his feast is set down, and with a special reference to his celebrity, in the Feilire of St. yEngus,3 at this day. The commentator on this Feilire * states, that he was of Kill-da-leis ;S and, he quotes the authority of yEngus for such assertion. This place appears to be unknown, or it has not yet been properly identified. To Sanctain also belonged Druimhaighille, in Tradraighe,^ as we are informed. Drumlaighille 7 is identified with Drum- lille,^ in the deanery of Tradery, and barony of Bunratty, in Clare County. According to an opinion,^ Cill-da-Has may represent Cildalaish, i. e. , the Church of Dalaise, or Molaise, now Killalish,'° in the parish of Kilranelagh, and barony of Upper Talbotstovvn, in the county of Wicklow. There is another place called Killaliss," in the parish of Knockbride,'^ and barony of Clankee,inthecountyofCavan. Accordingtoanotherconjecture,'3Drum- laighille is perhaps identical with Tigh Laigille, in the south-east of Ossory ; for, Tradraighe may have been written, by an oversight, for Osraighe ;'» however, the latter seems to us as a mistake, not likely to have occurred. In addition to the notice of this saint, at the 9th of May, in the Feilire of St. ^ngus, the simple entry Sanctan of Cill-da-les, is found in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,'5 at that same date. In the Franciscan copy, it seems to read somewhat differently. '^ It is a difficult matter to determine the site
138
Article i — ' See his Life, at the 17th of March, in the Third Volume of this work, Art, i. , chap. iii.
« See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Prima Vita S. Patricii, n. 13, p. 8.
3 In the " Leabhar Breac " copy, we find the following stanza :
^AiLt-fiujuT) mo|\ michiL TDonbich b<\fcel iDi\onichA pAi]' CiimII CAin Cc^l^chA e]*cop SAiiccAin fochlA.
It is thus translated, by Dr. Whitley Stokes : " Michael's great m. inifestation to the world, it was a proven story. The passion of Cyril, fair,beloved. FamousbishopSanctain. " On the Calendar of Oengus, p. Ixxix. See " Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Scries, vol i. , part i.
* In"LeabharHreac"copy.
5 " Colitur S. Sanctanus Episcojius geneve Britannus die 9' Maii in Ecclesia de Killda- leas in Langenia. "—Colgan's "Trias Thau- maturga,"n. 13, p. 8.
says: and, I know not where Kill-da-leis is : and to him belongs Druimlaighille, in Trad- raighe. "
? See the "Book of Obits, and Martyr- ology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, commonly called Christ Church, Dublin," Introduction, p. Ix. , n. (i).
* This is said to be the Druim Leaghine, which is mentioned, in the "Atmalsofthe
*The text of the Irish gloss is as follows.
: with its English translation —
". I. e. Chill OA leif •00, uc <\en5U)' x)icicec nc^'cio u\)i efC Cell X)A leif ^Njur M" ^^M' 'Opuitii
Iai^iIIc 1 C|\Arp<\ij;c. "
''i. e. , he was of Kill-da-lcis, as i^Engus
Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (t), p 669. O'Donovan's edition.
' Of Rev. John Francis Shearman.
Dr.
'° It is divided into Upper and Lower Killalish. It is shown, on ihe "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wicklow," sheets 27,32.
" See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cavan," sheet 23.
" This is described, ihiiL, on sheets 22, 23, 27, 28, 33.
"' OftheRev. JohnFrancisShearman.
'•• See " Loca Patriciana," No. x. , pp. 92, 93. "Journal of ilic Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ire- land," vol. iv. . Fourth Series, July, 1876. No. 27.
'S
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiii.
" So far as the writer can decipher the Irish text, it appears to be Saiicaii 1 Cill, and over the line in smaller characters.
Cen-oinAi\ . 1. 0* leif.
1. \ *
|
Ossory in 1669, is preserved a list of the Patrons of tlie Churches of the Diocese, and in the deanery of Aghavoe we meet with this parish cliurch of Kildelyg, and its patron is marked '''' Sanctiis Ernanits sen Senanns, Abbas. " Thiscanben—ootherthanomxSt. Sanrtan, or Sanctain. " " Irish Ecclesiasti- cal Record," First Series, vol. iv. , April, 1868, pp. 318, 319.
'^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Maii ix. Among tlie pretermitted saints, P- 358.
the Fifth and Sixtli Centuries," Table No. 9. "Journal of the Kilkenny Historical and Archceological Association of Ireland," vol. iii. , part ii. , Fourth Series, 1875. " Loca Patriciana," No. viii. , p. 381.
""^ It is asked, if he be identical with Samuel Cendissel of the Donegal Martyr- ology ?
"^ This province always had its particular Counts, from Theodoric to Hoel, father of Alan Cagnart, and those Counts became masters of all Bretagne, in the tenth cen-
—
May 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
of Cill-da-leis ; but, a conjecture has been offered, that as Colgan fixes its site in Leinster, it may be no other than the Church of KildelHg,'7 in the baronyofUpperOssory,orClarmallagh,Queen'sCounty. TheBollandists'^ notice him, hkewise, at this day, and quoting the Martyrology of Tallagh, as Sanctanus de Kill-da-leas. It has been very generally allowed, that St. Sane- tan was a native of Britain. It is stated, moreover, that he was a son of Samuel Chendisel, or "the low-headed," who was a king of Britain, while his mother was Dectir, or Dechter, a daughter of Muiredach Muinderg,^? (red-necked). King of Ulster. ^° His uterine brother was St. Madoc,^' or Matoc, the pilgrim, who
has a festival, at the 25th of April. ^^ The latter, however, is related to have been son to Canton, a King of Wales or West Britain, which gives reason to suspect, that these brothers were sons to different fathers, and that their mother had been twice married. According to a statement made,^3 the father of these saints, is thought to have been Selyf,^'* Regulus of Cornuaill,^5 in Armorica, who first married Gwen,^^ and secondly, Dechtv^r, the mother of the saints already mentioned, and thirdly, he married Hauriila. ^7 Selyf is said to have been the son of Geraint,='^ son to Erybyn,'9 son of Cystennen Llydavv or Vendegaid,3° son to Salomon or Salann,3i gQj^ ^f Urbain or Yrb,^^ son to
'' " In the Manuscript Visitation Book of his " Genealogy of some Cambrian and Ar- Dr. James Phelan, appointed Bishop of morican Saints connected with Ireland in
'5 He is said to have flourished a. d. 479. tury. See Dom Gui Alexis Lobineau's
^° A gloss on the Feilire of ^ngus, con- " Histoire de Bretagne, Composee sue le tainedintlie "LeabharBreac,"givessuch Titres et les Auteurs origineaux," tome i. , a statement, and it is quoted from a pro- liv. i. , sect, c, p. 27. A Paris, 1707, fol.
phecy, in the following lines :
efpucSAnccAin 1|" mo cheAii fllAC SAiinieL CheiToi]'el TDecci^A A inAcAi^A cen nieiixj liijeii inui]\e'OAi5 mtiiTDei|\5.
" Bishop Sanctain is my beloved.
The Sim of Samuel Chendisel, Dectir was his mother with stain. The daughter of Muiredach Muin-
derg. "
It must be observed, here, that Dr. Whitley Stokes' translation differs from the fore- going.
"^ See vol. iv. of this work, at that date. Art. iii.
'3 By Rev. John Francis Shearman, in
^' HisoriginalnamewasDoc,orDocus,
which in tlie Irish and Welsh assumed the onia, in Armorica. See Rev. Dr. James form of Cadoc, Mocadoc, and phonetically Henthorn Todd and Hon. Algernon Her- Madoc. Matoc, Matauc, Madowg and Ma- bert's edition of beAbhA|\ biAeAchneAch dog are merely different renderings of the
same name. See Zeuss' " Grammatica Cel-
tica," p. 15.
"^ By this marriage, he is said to have been father to St. Cybi or Cubius of Caer Gybi,orHolyhead,inWales. Heisvene- rated at November 6th.
See Ussher's Works, vol. v. , pp. no, 340. It has been stated, also, that she was probably his second
wife.
-^ She was daughter to Hoel, first King
of Armorica.
^^ Pie was Regulus of Dyvniant in Armo- rica, and he came over to assist King Arthur against the Saxons. By these, he was slain, at Longborth, A. D. 530. See "Myrvian Archaelogy," vol. ii. , p. 68.
_
^5
Hewas
Regulus of Dyvniant, or Dom-
Aiini^o pi% or The Irisli Version of the His- toria Britonum of Nennius, p. c.
3° Called also the Blessed. He was Regulus of Gorniu or Cornuaile, in the diocese of Quimper, in Armorica. He came to aid the Bri:ons, against the Picts and
139
I40 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 9.
Cynan, or Conan Meriada\vg,33 who was grandson to Caradawg ap Bran Ven- digaidapLlyrLlediath. 34 DuringtlietimeofSt. Sanctan,Britainhadtosuffer from the ravages of war, and from her new invaders tlie Angli and Saxons. Everywhere, except in Wales and Cornwall, Saxon paganism had trampled downtheBritishChurch. 35 Idoltempleshadsprungup,withtheirunhallowed rites and sacrifices. Even, in the strongholds of British power, the tide of invasion, without severe struggles, could not be stemmed back, or the minis- trations of religion be kept alive. 3^ To such circumstances, perhaps, may largely be attrilDuted the influx of many Britons, who landed and settled, on theeasterncoastsofourowncountry. TheSaxonsfellupontheBritishpro- vinces, wasting them in a terrible manner; towns and fortifications were demolished ; churches and houses were burned ; horrible cruelties were exercised in all places ; while, great numbers of the Christians, clergy, and people, were put to the sword. 37 Both the holy brothers already named left Britain, and emigrated to Ireland. According to tradition, Matoc preceded his brother Sanctan, in the date for arrival.
Sanctan remained some time, at the school of Cluain Iraird, now Clonard, in Meath, where, we may expect, he made great progress in learning. Afterwards, he set out to join the com- munity of his brotlier, ISIatoc, then settled in Inis-Matoc. This place has been identified with Inis-Maedhoc, or Inis-Mogue, an Island in Templeport Lake, county of Leitrim. 38 Other accounts have it, that Inis-Matoc may be identified with Inis-Fail. 39 St. Sanctain is said to have spent most of his time in Ireland, but we know not how long he remained with his brother Matoc.
It is thought by some,'*° that the present St. Santan, or Sanctain, selected a place for his retreat, situated in the wild and picturesque valley of Glenasmole, under the Dublin Mountains. From him, it went by the name of Cill Easpuig Sanctan. •'^ Whether Cill-da-les is identical with that denomination,
3? See John Burton's " Monasticon Ebora- censa ; and the Ecclesiastical History of Yorkshire," &c. . Book i. , p. 8, York, 1758, fol.
^s ggg « Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. vi. Dr. Graves' Paper on throne. He was married to a daughter of the Ogham Notes in the St. Gall MS. of Priscian, 2, read on Monday, April 9th, 1855, p. 211. In that " Codex Priscianus " of St. Gall in Switzerland, at p. 194, there
Irish, in 432. He was elected Pendragon
of Britain, but, he was slain by the Picts, in
442.
3' He was King of Armorica, from A. i).
410 to 421, but, he was slain by his uncle Grallon, Count of Vannes, who usurped the
the Patrician Flavius.
3' Count of Nantes.
33 He was Regulus of Meriodawg, in
:
is the marginal gloss —
North Britain. He went with an army to aid Maxen Wledig, the husband of Elen his cousin, against Gratian, the Roman Emperor,
"'Oo mi]' in«\t)T0OC 'oiin . 1. nieifi'e &'^^X Clioi]Nbhi\e, of Inis- madoc we are, that is myself and Cairpre. " «';Yrt 383. He got possessions in Armorica, If this indentification be correct, it seems prol)able enough, that St. Matoc's name must
where he died, circa 410. See " Myrvian Archaeology," vol. ii. , p. 60.
be substituted for St. Maidoc's name of Ferns, who traditionally passed his earlier days on the Lsland of Templeport Lake.
35 Rudburn asserts, that the Cornish
people submitted to the humiliation of pay-
ing tribute to the Saxons, in the time of monastci-y ; and, perhaps from the founder, Ceidic, in order that they might be allowed it was afterwarrls called Inis-Madoc. See
3'» See Kees' " Lives of the Cambro-British Saints," p. 89, &c.
to observe their religious rites without moles- tation.
3"' " Cerdicum ssepius cum Arthuro con- fllxisse, pertaesum Arthurum cum Ccrdico deinceps prailia inire foedus cum illo pepi- gisse, et concessisse Cerdicum Cornubiensi- bus ut sub annuo tributo ritum Christiana; religionis obscrvarent. "—'' Chronicon," lib. ii. , cap. i. — Usshcr, " De Primordiis,'' cap. xiii.
"Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iv , April, 1S68. Hymn of St. Sanctan, pp. 321, 322, and n. 2. Ibid.
•'° Others suppose, that St. Santan of Kil- nasau tan was more properly commemorated, at the 17th of September,
•" See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," record of the Obit of Caen- chomraic, abbot of Cill Easpuig Sanctan, at A. n. 952, vol. ii. , I'p. 668,669.
39 gt. Mo-chatoc, a disciple of St. Patrick and of St. Eiecc, choose Inis-Fail for his
May 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 141
or otherwise, has not been very clearly demonstrated. In mediaeval times, that place among the Dublin Mountains acquired the name of Temple- Sanctan ;i2 and, it also bore the designation of Kill Sanctan, Kilmesantanj'fs or Kilmasanctan. In our own day, it still retains the correct rendering Kilna- santan. ''4 It lies within the ancient territory of Hy Dunchada. Here, a reli- gious community appears to have flourished, at least to the middle of the tenth century. 'ts That church is alluded to, by Archbishop Alan,'*^ where he gives a copy of the " Concessio," in the 20th year of Henry II. , a. d. 1173, and another, at a. d. 1193 ; as also, in the Bull of Innocent 111. ^7 Killnasantan
Kilnasaiitan Old Church, County of Dublin.
is situated in the barony of Rathdown, and county of Dublin. Interments here are on the south and west of the present ruined church,4^ with some few gravesvisibleattheeastside. TheoldchurchofKillnasantanisnowalmost completely destroyed, only a fragment of the south side wall remaining. ^? There is a ruined window, with an interior splay in this wall. 5° The founda-
^'^ In 1547, in the Taxation of the Dio- cese of Dublin, it is called Temple Sauntan, '•'^ In the Register " Crede mihi," written in the thirteenth century, it is so called. See William Monck Mason's " History and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathedral
longing to the See of Glendalach, and in which Cill-ma-Santain is named.
4^ There, too, were to be seen the remains of a huge massive granite block, hollowed in the centre, to serve probably the purpose of a holy water font. It lies upturned in the cemetery, and formerly it must have be-
Church of St. Patrick," Appendix, p. Ixvi.
44 This historic name, however, is not longed to the old church. It is about 12
given on the Irish Ordnance Survey Town- land Maps.
45 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 668, 669, and n. (t).
4^ See " Repertorium Viride," fol. 20, a. ''^ These charters mention the churches be-
inches, in depth ; and, about 3 feet, 4 inches, in diameter. The hollow is of a horse-shoe shape.
49 Visited and measurement taken by the author in May, 1873.
s° The accompanying illustration, drawn on the spot, by the writer, in May, 1873,
142 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 9,
tions of a nave, levelled with the ground, measure 43 feet in length, interiorly, and 16 feet in width. The walls run about 3 feet in thickness. The cemetery around is well enclosed with a wall, and a hedge is on an elevated yet sloping knoll, some little distance from and high over the right bank of the Dodder River, about a mile or two miles below its source. The scenery around is truly magnificent, while the church itself nestled under the higher slopes of the Dublin Mountains. Near it is the locality of Bohernabreena, which is Anglicized, " the road of the Britons. s' Here, St. Sanctan probably founded a community ; and, perhaps, many of the religious brethren were Bri- tons,livingunderhisrule. Moreover,St. Sanctancomposedacelebratedhymn,5» in the Irish language. Copies of this are yet preserved, in the " Liber Hymno- rum," belonging to the Fransciscan Convent, Dublin, and in another Codex, bearingthesametitle,amongtheManuscriptsofTrinityCollege,Dublin. 53 An introduction to this hymn, as found in the Franciscan copy, states, that it had been composed, on his way from Cluain-Irard, to Inis-Matoc. It is also remarked, that before this time, Sanctan was completely ignorant of the Scottish language ; but, that he miraculously obtained the gift of Irish metri- cal composition. Yet, the time when he composed that hymn is uncertain. The cause assigned for composition of this poem was, that he might be pre- served from his enemies, and that his brother might admit him among his religious in the island. The Irish of this hymn, Avith an original translation into English, has been published, in the First Series of the " Irish Ecclesias- tical Record. "54 It breathes a fine devotional spirit throughout, and it con- tains a pious invocation, to the three persons of the Most Adorable Trinity.
has been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it has been en- graved, by Mrs. Millard.
5* See vol. iv. , April, 1868, pp. 317 to 325,
55 The following is the text of this hymn, with an English translation, and
5' Boher-na-Breena is an old historic notes : locality, and its etymon has been otherwise
derived. Here, from the earliest times was one of those houses of hospitality, maintained at the public cost. Legislation regarding them may be seen in the old Brehon laws. These hospices were erected on the principal roads of this countrj', for the reception and entertainment of travellers. In this same hospice, in the first century of the Christian era, was slain the Monarch of Ireland, Conaire-mor, by the sons of Dondesa, whom he had for their crimes banished into Britain. After spending some years in acts of piracy, they returned to Ireland, in company with Ancel Caech, the son of a British regulus, and who was a free-lance like themselves. Landing at Turvey, in Fingal, they marched to Tara, and there, not finding the king, they followed him to his retreat at Boher-na- Breena. The marauders avenged them- selves, by the violent death of the monarch, and the total destruction of the Bruighean, or palace ; and thence, it is said, the place takes its name, i. e. , the Road of the Palace, or Hospice.
5' This hymn is published in the " Goidi- lica," edited by Dr. Whitley Stokes, and in the " Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iv. , pp. 322 to 325.
53 In that preserved, among the Trinity College Manuscripts, Dublin, it is classed, E. 4, 2, No. 21.
ei'cojD SdnccAn focIa' fpuchib* iiiitit) Anjebb cbochglAH geL '|\ot)oei\A mo coi\p f0]\ coibniAin ]^o11cebA3 mAnniAin ^oj\ mem.
Ilombiuh oyvoic leAC AmAii\e l\ob c]\ocAi^e |\unine 'oun
<\p gum A]\ 5UA|V\CC A^ JAbuT) A ClMfCCOp 00nAT3U'0'''0Ut1.
Aceoch in im poe]\ puchAin oen5eiriiie5'DeT)iA]\ Vechim ]\t)mniAin a|\ gAbchib 5e]\Aib mAc ]\o genAi^N imbechiL.
" Bishop Sanctan, illustrious among the ancients.
Angel-soldier of pure, bright fame My body is enslaved on Earth, May he receive my soul in Heaven.
" Ofter a prayer forme, O Mary !
May the mercy of the mystery be
unto us
Against wounding, against danger,
against suft'ering,
O Christ ! aftbrd us thy protec-
—
;
tion.
" I implore the noble, everlasting King
;
^Iay the Only-Begotten of God plead for us ;
Against sharp torments may
The Son who was born in Bethle-
hem defend me. "
;
May 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 143
In the St. Isidore Manuscript, " Liber Hymnorum," after this hymn follows a short poem, in the Irish language, in honour of Bishop Sanctain, and it is couched in three stanzas. ss These'are also preserved, in the '' Liber Hymn- orum,5^ which belongs to Trinity College, Dublin ; and, this contains some verbal different readings from the former. Wliile the hymn of St. Sanctan has been published in the " Goidilica ;"57 the hymn in praise of Bishop Sanctain has been omitted, 5^ although preserved in the " Liber Hymnorum," belonging to Trinity College. It has been stated, that an Irish Abbot, named St, Sennen, accompanied St. Burianna into Cornwall, where in the fifth and sixth centuries many holy Irishmen and women were engaged, in propagating the faith, while leading religious lives. 59 There is in Cornwall a small port town and parish, named from St. Sennan ; and, tradition says, thatthissaintwentthitherfromIreland. Havingdiedthereinhishermitage, a church was believed to have been erected over ]iis remains. In his Life of St. Wenefreda, John Capgrave states, that this hoiy virgin was interred there andnearSt. Sennan. Accordingtooneopinion,^°itisnotimprobable,that the present saint was identical with the Cornwall St. Sennan. To us, how- ever, it would seem more likely, that Sanctain passed his latter days in Ire- land. He flourished, during the sixth century ; but, no record appears to have been preserved, to determine the date for his death. St. Sanctain's well is still extant, at Glenasmole ; but, by a very curious misconception of a name, derived from the original founder, Killnasantan has been converted into Kill-St. -Anne. Thus, the memory of the ancient Cambrian Saint has been displaced, within the present century; although, it seems to have
remained for ages previous, in popular veneration. The ancient patron has been now forgotten, since, by a facile adaptation of sound, Sanctain has been converted into St. Anne. During late years, a beautiful Catholic Gothic Church has been erected in the neighbourhood ; and, under the prevailing error, it has been dedicated to St. Anne f'^ although, as being near the ancient site, it is obvious, that it should have been dedicated to the patron St. Sanc- tain. A well-informed writer ^^ has observed, that there is unfortunately, now-a-days, an unhappy tendency, to pass over the old historic landmarks, regarding the veneration of our old Irish saints. To cultivate an acquaint- ance with their lives, and with the history of the times in which they flourished, should be the best means to keep alive a wholesome spirit of nationality and of faith, the preservation of which, under the most adverse circumstances, is the chief glory of our native land. Another church, connected with St. Sanctan, was Cill-Sanctan, near Coleraine, in Antrim, and now called Mount
1. The MS. has fCA with the double sign
of contraction : hence we have supposed it
to stand for -pociA, which is the characteris-
tic epithet applied to our saint by ^ngus.
2. T^uchib, abl. pi. of riwiicli. The Milan it has been published in the " Irish Ecclesi- Psalter has iniiA fyvticne as the gloss of astical Record," First Series, vol. iv.
Article XII. —' See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctoruiu," tumus ii. , Maii viii. Amongthepretermittedsaints,p. 284.
^ In his " Menologium Scoticum. "
3 The following is his notice, at the Sth of May : " Tarenti Cataldi episcopi, Apostolici
;
but, he has the departure
137
——
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 9.
which rested the motives, aims, and practice, of this holy servant of God, in reference to his own sanctifi cation, and to the spiritual welfare of those he had in charge. Regarding the biographical particulars of this early saint, there is a considerable amount of obscurity. By some writers, he is supposed to be the same as St. Sannan, the reputed brother of our great Apostle, St. Patrick. ' This identification, however, seems inadmissible; especially, if we acknowledge his father Samuel to have been a king of Britain, and his mother to have been Drechura, daughter to Muredach Munderg, King of Ultonia. ' It is certain, that Bishop Sanctain flourished, at an early period, since his feast is set down, and with a special reference to his celebrity, in the Feilire of St. yEngus,3 at this day. The commentator on this Feilire * states, that he was of Kill-da-leis ;S and, he quotes the authority of yEngus for such assertion. This place appears to be unknown, or it has not yet been properly identified. To Sanctain also belonged Druimhaighille, in Tradraighe,^ as we are informed. Drumlaighille 7 is identified with Drum- lille,^ in the deanery of Tradery, and barony of Bunratty, in Clare County. According to an opinion,^ Cill-da-Has may represent Cildalaish, i. e. , the Church of Dalaise, or Molaise, now Killalish,'° in the parish of Kilranelagh, and barony of Upper Talbotstovvn, in the county of Wicklow. There is another place called Killaliss," in the parish of Knockbride,'^ and barony of Clankee,inthecountyofCavan. Accordingtoanotherconjecture,'3Drum- laighille is perhaps identical with Tigh Laigille, in the south-east of Ossory ; for, Tradraighe may have been written, by an oversight, for Osraighe ;'» however, the latter seems to us as a mistake, not likely to have occurred. In addition to the notice of this saint, at the 9th of May, in the Feilire of St. ^ngus, the simple entry Sanctan of Cill-da-les, is found in the published Martyrology of Tallagh,'5 at that same date. In the Franciscan copy, it seems to read somewhat differently. '^ It is a difficult matter to determine the site
138
Article i — ' See his Life, at the 17th of March, in the Third Volume of this work, Art, i. , chap. iii.
« See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Prima Vita S. Patricii, n. 13, p. 8.
3 In the " Leabhar Breac " copy, we find the following stanza :
^AiLt-fiujuT) mo|\ michiL TDonbich b<\fcel iDi\onichA pAi]' CiimII CAin Cc^l^chA e]*cop SAiiccAin fochlA.
It is thus translated, by Dr. Whitley Stokes : " Michael's great m. inifestation to the world, it was a proven story. The passion of Cyril, fair,beloved. FamousbishopSanctain. " On the Calendar of Oengus, p. Ixxix. See " Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Scries, vol i. , part i.
* In"LeabharHreac"copy.
5 " Colitur S. Sanctanus Episcojius geneve Britannus die 9' Maii in Ecclesia de Killda- leas in Langenia. "—Colgan's "Trias Thau- maturga,"n. 13, p. 8.
says: and, I know not where Kill-da-leis is : and to him belongs Druimlaighille, in Trad- raighe. "
? See the "Book of Obits, and Martyr- ology of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, commonly called Christ Church, Dublin," Introduction, p. Ix. , n. (i).
* This is said to be the Druim Leaghine, which is mentioned, in the "Atmalsofthe
*The text of the Irish gloss is as follows.
: with its English translation —
". I. e. Chill OA leif •00, uc <\en5U)' x)icicec nc^'cio u\)i efC Cell X)A leif ^Njur M" ^^M' 'Opuitii
Iai^iIIc 1 C|\Arp<\ij;c. "
''i. e. , he was of Kill-da-lcis, as i^Engus
Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (t), p 669. O'Donovan's edition.
' Of Rev. John Francis Shearman.
Dr.
'° It is divided into Upper and Lower Killalish. It is shown, on ihe "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Wicklow," sheets 27,32.
" See "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Cavan," sheet 23.
" This is described, ihiiL, on sheets 22, 23, 27, 28, 33.
"' OftheRev. JohnFrancisShearman.
'•• See " Loca Patriciana," No. x. , pp. 92, 93. "Journal of ilic Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ire- land," vol. iv. . Fourth Series, July, 1876. No. 27.
'S
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxiii.
" So far as the writer can decipher the Irish text, it appears to be Saiicaii 1 Cill, and over the line in smaller characters.
Cen-oinAi\ . 1. 0* leif.
1. \ *
|
Ossory in 1669, is preserved a list of the Patrons of tlie Churches of the Diocese, and in the deanery of Aghavoe we meet with this parish cliurch of Kildelyg, and its patron is marked '''' Sanctiis Ernanits sen Senanns, Abbas. " Thiscanben—ootherthanomxSt. Sanrtan, or Sanctain. " " Irish Ecclesiasti- cal Record," First Series, vol. iv. , April, 1868, pp. 318, 319.
'^ See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Maii ix. Among tlie pretermitted saints, P- 358.
the Fifth and Sixtli Centuries," Table No. 9. "Journal of the Kilkenny Historical and Archceological Association of Ireland," vol. iii. , part ii. , Fourth Series, 1875. " Loca Patriciana," No. viii. , p. 381.
""^ It is asked, if he be identical with Samuel Cendissel of the Donegal Martyr- ology ?
"^ This province always had its particular Counts, from Theodoric to Hoel, father of Alan Cagnart, and those Counts became masters of all Bretagne, in the tenth cen-
—
May 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
of Cill-da-leis ; but, a conjecture has been offered, that as Colgan fixes its site in Leinster, it may be no other than the Church of KildelHg,'7 in the baronyofUpperOssory,orClarmallagh,Queen'sCounty. TheBollandists'^ notice him, hkewise, at this day, and quoting the Martyrology of Tallagh, as Sanctanus de Kill-da-leas. It has been very generally allowed, that St. Sane- tan was a native of Britain. It is stated, moreover, that he was a son of Samuel Chendisel, or "the low-headed," who was a king of Britain, while his mother was Dectir, or Dechter, a daughter of Muiredach Muinderg,^? (red-necked). King of Ulster. ^° His uterine brother was St. Madoc,^' or Matoc, the pilgrim, who
has a festival, at the 25th of April. ^^ The latter, however, is related to have been son to Canton, a King of Wales or West Britain, which gives reason to suspect, that these brothers were sons to different fathers, and that their mother had been twice married. According to a statement made,^3 the father of these saints, is thought to have been Selyf,^'* Regulus of Cornuaill,^5 in Armorica, who first married Gwen,^^ and secondly, Dechtv^r, the mother of the saints already mentioned, and thirdly, he married Hauriila. ^7 Selyf is said to have been the son of Geraint,='^ son to Erybyn,'9 son of Cystennen Llydavv or Vendegaid,3° son to Salomon or Salann,3i gQj^ ^f Urbain or Yrb,^^ son to
'' " In the Manuscript Visitation Book of his " Genealogy of some Cambrian and Ar- Dr. James Phelan, appointed Bishop of morican Saints connected with Ireland in
'5 He is said to have flourished a. d. 479. tury. See Dom Gui Alexis Lobineau's
^° A gloss on the Feilire of ^ngus, con- " Histoire de Bretagne, Composee sue le tainedintlie "LeabharBreac,"givessuch Titres et les Auteurs origineaux," tome i. , a statement, and it is quoted from a pro- liv. i. , sect, c, p. 27. A Paris, 1707, fol.
phecy, in the following lines :
efpucSAnccAin 1|" mo cheAii fllAC SAiinieL CheiToi]'el TDecci^A A inAcAi^A cen nieiixj liijeii inui]\e'OAi5 mtiiTDei|\5.
" Bishop Sanctain is my beloved.
The Sim of Samuel Chendisel, Dectir was his mother with stain. The daughter of Muiredach Muin-
derg. "
It must be observed, here, that Dr. Whitley Stokes' translation differs from the fore- going.
"^ See vol. iv. of this work, at that date. Art. iii.
'3 By Rev. John Francis Shearman, in
^' HisoriginalnamewasDoc,orDocus,
which in tlie Irish and Welsh assumed the onia, in Armorica. See Rev. Dr. James form of Cadoc, Mocadoc, and phonetically Henthorn Todd and Hon. Algernon Her- Madoc. Matoc, Matauc, Madowg and Ma- bert's edition of beAbhA|\ biAeAchneAch dog are merely different renderings of the
same name. See Zeuss' " Grammatica Cel-
tica," p. 15.
"^ By this marriage, he is said to have been father to St. Cybi or Cubius of Caer Gybi,orHolyhead,inWales. Heisvene- rated at November 6th.
See Ussher's Works, vol. v. , pp. no, 340. It has been stated, also, that she was probably his second
wife.
-^ She was daughter to Hoel, first King
of Armorica.
^^ Pie was Regulus of Dyvniant in Armo- rica, and he came over to assist King Arthur against the Saxons. By these, he was slain, at Longborth, A. D. 530. See "Myrvian Archaelogy," vol. ii. , p. 68.
_
^5
Hewas
Regulus of Dyvniant, or Dom-
Aiini^o pi% or The Irisli Version of the His- toria Britonum of Nennius, p. c.
3° Called also the Blessed. He was Regulus of Gorniu or Cornuaile, in the diocese of Quimper, in Armorica. He came to aid the Bri:ons, against the Picts and
139
I40 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 9.
Cynan, or Conan Meriada\vg,33 who was grandson to Caradawg ap Bran Ven- digaidapLlyrLlediath. 34 DuringtlietimeofSt. Sanctan,Britainhadtosuffer from the ravages of war, and from her new invaders tlie Angli and Saxons. Everywhere, except in Wales and Cornwall, Saxon paganism had trampled downtheBritishChurch. 35 Idoltempleshadsprungup,withtheirunhallowed rites and sacrifices. Even, in the strongholds of British power, the tide of invasion, without severe struggles, could not be stemmed back, or the minis- trations of religion be kept alive. 3^ To such circumstances, perhaps, may largely be attrilDuted the influx of many Britons, who landed and settled, on theeasterncoastsofourowncountry. TheSaxonsfellupontheBritishpro- vinces, wasting them in a terrible manner; towns and fortifications were demolished ; churches and houses were burned ; horrible cruelties were exercised in all places ; while, great numbers of the Christians, clergy, and people, were put to the sword. 37 Both the holy brothers already named left Britain, and emigrated to Ireland. According to tradition, Matoc preceded his brother Sanctan, in the date for arrival.
Sanctan remained some time, at the school of Cluain Iraird, now Clonard, in Meath, where, we may expect, he made great progress in learning. Afterwards, he set out to join the com- munity of his brotlier, ISIatoc, then settled in Inis-Matoc. This place has been identified with Inis-Maedhoc, or Inis-Mogue, an Island in Templeport Lake, county of Leitrim. 38 Other accounts have it, that Inis-Matoc may be identified with Inis-Fail. 39 St. Sanctain is said to have spent most of his time in Ireland, but we know not how long he remained with his brother Matoc.
It is thought by some,'*° that the present St. Santan, or Sanctain, selected a place for his retreat, situated in the wild and picturesque valley of Glenasmole, under the Dublin Mountains. From him, it went by the name of Cill Easpuig Sanctan. •'^ Whether Cill-da-les is identical with that denomination,
3? See John Burton's " Monasticon Ebora- censa ; and the Ecclesiastical History of Yorkshire," &c. . Book i. , p. 8, York, 1758, fol.
^s ggg « Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. vi. Dr. Graves' Paper on throne. He was married to a daughter of the Ogham Notes in the St. Gall MS. of Priscian, 2, read on Monday, April 9th, 1855, p. 211. In that " Codex Priscianus " of St. Gall in Switzerland, at p. 194, there
Irish, in 432. He was elected Pendragon
of Britain, but, he was slain by the Picts, in
442.
3' He was King of Armorica, from A. i).
410 to 421, but, he was slain by his uncle Grallon, Count of Vannes, who usurped the
the Patrician Flavius.
3' Count of Nantes.
33 He was Regulus of Meriodawg, in
:
is the marginal gloss —
North Britain. He went with an army to aid Maxen Wledig, the husband of Elen his cousin, against Gratian, the Roman Emperor,
"'Oo mi]' in«\t)T0OC 'oiin . 1. nieifi'e &'^^X Clioi]Nbhi\e, of Inis- madoc we are, that is myself and Cairpre. " «';Yrt 383. He got possessions in Armorica, If this indentification be correct, it seems prol)able enough, that St. Matoc's name must
where he died, circa 410. See " Myrvian Archaeology," vol. ii. , p. 60.
be substituted for St. Maidoc's name of Ferns, who traditionally passed his earlier days on the Lsland of Templeport Lake.
35 Rudburn asserts, that the Cornish
people submitted to the humiliation of pay-
ing tribute to the Saxons, in the time of monastci-y ; and, perhaps from the founder, Ceidic, in order that they might be allowed it was afterwarrls called Inis-Madoc. See
3'» See Kees' " Lives of the Cambro-British Saints," p. 89, &c.
to observe their religious rites without moles- tation.
3"' " Cerdicum ssepius cum Arthuro con- fllxisse, pertaesum Arthurum cum Ccrdico deinceps prailia inire foedus cum illo pepi- gisse, et concessisse Cerdicum Cornubiensi- bus ut sub annuo tributo ritum Christiana; religionis obscrvarent. "—'' Chronicon," lib. ii. , cap. i. — Usshcr, " De Primordiis,'' cap. xiii.
"Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iv , April, 1S68. Hymn of St. Sanctan, pp. 321, 322, and n. 2. Ibid.
•'° Others suppose, that St. Santan of Kil- nasau tan was more properly commemorated, at the 17th of September,
•" See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," record of the Obit of Caen- chomraic, abbot of Cill Easpuig Sanctan, at A. n. 952, vol. ii. , I'p. 668,669.
39 gt. Mo-chatoc, a disciple of St. Patrick and of St. Eiecc, choose Inis-Fail for his
May 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 141
or otherwise, has not been very clearly demonstrated. In mediaeval times, that place among the Dublin Mountains acquired the name of Temple- Sanctan ;i2 and, it also bore the designation of Kill Sanctan, Kilmesantanj'fs or Kilmasanctan. In our own day, it still retains the correct rendering Kilna- santan. ''4 It lies within the ancient territory of Hy Dunchada. Here, a reli- gious community appears to have flourished, at least to the middle of the tenth century. 'ts That church is alluded to, by Archbishop Alan,'*^ where he gives a copy of the " Concessio," in the 20th year of Henry II. , a. d. 1173, and another, at a. d. 1193 ; as also, in the Bull of Innocent 111. ^7 Killnasantan
Kilnasaiitan Old Church, County of Dublin.
is situated in the barony of Rathdown, and county of Dublin. Interments here are on the south and west of the present ruined church,4^ with some few gravesvisibleattheeastside. TheoldchurchofKillnasantanisnowalmost completely destroyed, only a fragment of the south side wall remaining. ^? There is a ruined window, with an interior splay in this wall. 5° The founda-
^'^ In 1547, in the Taxation of the Dio- cese of Dublin, it is called Temple Sauntan, '•'^ In the Register " Crede mihi," written in the thirteenth century, it is so called. See William Monck Mason's " History and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathedral
longing to the See of Glendalach, and in which Cill-ma-Santain is named.
4^ There, too, were to be seen the remains of a huge massive granite block, hollowed in the centre, to serve probably the purpose of a holy water font. It lies upturned in the cemetery, and formerly it must have be-
Church of St. Patrick," Appendix, p. Ixvi.
44 This historic name, however, is not longed to the old church. It is about 12
given on the Irish Ordnance Survey Town- land Maps.
45 See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 668, 669, and n. (t).
4^ See " Repertorium Viride," fol. 20, a. ''^ These charters mention the churches be-
inches, in depth ; and, about 3 feet, 4 inches, in diameter. The hollow is of a horse-shoe shape.
49 Visited and measurement taken by the author in May, 1873.
s° The accompanying illustration, drawn on the spot, by the writer, in May, 1873,
142 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 9,
tions of a nave, levelled with the ground, measure 43 feet in length, interiorly, and 16 feet in width. The walls run about 3 feet in thickness. The cemetery around is well enclosed with a wall, and a hedge is on an elevated yet sloping knoll, some little distance from and high over the right bank of the Dodder River, about a mile or two miles below its source. The scenery around is truly magnificent, while the church itself nestled under the higher slopes of the Dublin Mountains. Near it is the locality of Bohernabreena, which is Anglicized, " the road of the Britons. s' Here, St. Sanctan probably founded a community ; and, perhaps, many of the religious brethren were Bri- tons,livingunderhisrule. Moreover,St. Sanctancomposedacelebratedhymn,5» in the Irish language. Copies of this are yet preserved, in the " Liber Hymno- rum," belonging to the Fransciscan Convent, Dublin, and in another Codex, bearingthesametitle,amongtheManuscriptsofTrinityCollege,Dublin. 53 An introduction to this hymn, as found in the Franciscan copy, states, that it had been composed, on his way from Cluain-Irard, to Inis-Matoc. It is also remarked, that before this time, Sanctan was completely ignorant of the Scottish language ; but, that he miraculously obtained the gift of Irish metri- cal composition. Yet, the time when he composed that hymn is uncertain. The cause assigned for composition of this poem was, that he might be pre- served from his enemies, and that his brother might admit him among his religious in the island. The Irish of this hymn, Avith an original translation into English, has been published, in the First Series of the " Irish Ecclesias- tical Record. "54 It breathes a fine devotional spirit throughout, and it con- tains a pious invocation, to the three persons of the Most Adorable Trinity.
has been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it has been en- graved, by Mrs. Millard.
5* See vol. iv. , April, 1868, pp. 317 to 325,
55 The following is the text of this hymn, with an English translation, and
5' Boher-na-Breena is an old historic notes : locality, and its etymon has been otherwise
derived. Here, from the earliest times was one of those houses of hospitality, maintained at the public cost. Legislation regarding them may be seen in the old Brehon laws. These hospices were erected on the principal roads of this countrj', for the reception and entertainment of travellers. In this same hospice, in the first century of the Christian era, was slain the Monarch of Ireland, Conaire-mor, by the sons of Dondesa, whom he had for their crimes banished into Britain. After spending some years in acts of piracy, they returned to Ireland, in company with Ancel Caech, the son of a British regulus, and who was a free-lance like themselves. Landing at Turvey, in Fingal, they marched to Tara, and there, not finding the king, they followed him to his retreat at Boher-na- Breena. The marauders avenged them- selves, by the violent death of the monarch, and the total destruction of the Bruighean, or palace ; and thence, it is said, the place takes its name, i. e. , the Road of the Palace, or Hospice.
5' This hymn is published in the " Goidi- lica," edited by Dr. Whitley Stokes, and in the " Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iv. , pp. 322 to 325.
53 In that preserved, among the Trinity College Manuscripts, Dublin, it is classed, E. 4, 2, No. 21.
ei'cojD SdnccAn focIa' fpuchib* iiiitit) Anjebb cbochglAH geL '|\ot)oei\A mo coi\p f0]\ coibniAin ]^o11cebA3 mAnniAin ^oj\ mem.
Ilombiuh oyvoic leAC AmAii\e l\ob c]\ocAi^e |\unine 'oun
<\p gum A]\ 5UA|V\CC A^ JAbuT) A ClMfCCOp 00nAT3U'0'''0Ut1.
Aceoch in im poe]\ puchAin oen5eiriiie5'DeT)iA]\ Vechim ]\t)mniAin a|\ gAbchib 5e]\Aib mAc ]\o genAi^N imbechiL.
" Bishop Sanctan, illustrious among the ancients.
Angel-soldier of pure, bright fame My body is enslaved on Earth, May he receive my soul in Heaven.
" Ofter a prayer forme, O Mary !
May the mercy of the mystery be
unto us
Against wounding, against danger,
against suft'ering,
O Christ ! aftbrd us thy protec-
—
;
tion.
" I implore the noble, everlasting King
;
^Iay the Only-Begotten of God plead for us ;
Against sharp torments may
The Son who was born in Bethle-
hem defend me. "
;
May 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 143
In the St. Isidore Manuscript, " Liber Hymnorum," after this hymn follows a short poem, in the Irish language, in honour of Bishop Sanctain, and it is couched in three stanzas. ss These'are also preserved, in the '' Liber Hymn- orum,5^ which belongs to Trinity College, Dublin ; and, this contains some verbal different readings from the former. Wliile the hymn of St. Sanctan has been published in the " Goidilica ;"57 the hymn in praise of Bishop Sanctain has been omitted, 5^ although preserved in the " Liber Hymnorum," belonging to Trinity College. It has been stated, that an Irish Abbot, named St, Sennen, accompanied St. Burianna into Cornwall, where in the fifth and sixth centuries many holy Irishmen and women were engaged, in propagating the faith, while leading religious lives. 59 There is in Cornwall a small port town and parish, named from St. Sennan ; and, tradition says, thatthissaintwentthitherfromIreland. Havingdiedthereinhishermitage, a church was believed to have been erected over ]iis remains. In his Life of St. Wenefreda, John Capgrave states, that this hoiy virgin was interred there andnearSt. Sennan. Accordingtooneopinion,^°itisnotimprobable,that the present saint was identical with the Cornwall St. Sennan. To us, how- ever, it would seem more likely, that Sanctain passed his latter days in Ire- land. He flourished, during the sixth century ; but, no record appears to have been preserved, to determine the date for his death. St. Sanctain's well is still extant, at Glenasmole ; but, by a very curious misconception of a name, derived from the original founder, Killnasantan has been converted into Kill-St. -Anne. Thus, the memory of the ancient Cambrian Saint has been displaced, within the present century; although, it seems to have
remained for ages previous, in popular veneration. The ancient patron has been now forgotten, since, by a facile adaptation of sound, Sanctain has been converted into St. Anne. During late years, a beautiful Catholic Gothic Church has been erected in the neighbourhood ; and, under the prevailing error, it has been dedicated to St. Anne f'^ although, as being near the ancient site, it is obvious, that it should have been dedicated to the patron St. Sanc- tain. A well-informed writer ^^ has observed, that there is unfortunately, now-a-days, an unhappy tendency, to pass over the old historic landmarks, regarding the veneration of our old Irish saints. To cultivate an acquaint- ance with their lives, and with the history of the times in which they flourished, should be the best means to keep alive a wholesome spirit of nationality and of faith, the preservation of which, under the most adverse circumstances, is the chief glory of our native land. Another church, connected with St. Sanctan, was Cill-Sanctan, near Coleraine, in Antrim, and now called Mount
1. The MS. has fCA with the double sign
of contraction : hence we have supposed it
to stand for -pociA, which is the characteris-
tic epithet applied to our saint by ^ngus.
2. T^uchib, abl. pi. of riwiicli. The Milan it has been published in the " Irish Ecclesi- Psalter has iniiA fyvticne as the gloss of astical Record," First Series, vol. iv.
